Seeing Santa 2013

Its that time of years again, to head to the mall and stand in line and see the man in the red suit! We try to go at "off" times so there isn't much of a wait but this year was a little bit of a wait....

Waiting to see Santa...

Still waiting...

But it was because it was also pet night so people had brought their dogs and other pets in to have their pictures taken with Santa too! 

5 month old boxer puppy waiting to see Santa

Avery is a fan of Santa, he is always happy to see pictures of him. Last year Avery wasn' totally sure about sitting on his lap but he didnt cry, and this year i wasnt sure what Avery would do, but he did great, wasn't scared at all, all smiles!

Avery's turn!

Avery & Santa 2013

 I don't think Avery totally gets the whole Santa concept but he knows enough. He knows that  if he is good then Santa might bring him what is on his list. And what is on his list? 

Telling Santa about the Garbage Truck!

 Well a Big Big garbage truck from Menards, which he was sure to tell Santa about. With a few more days to go until I am sure Avery will stay on the Nice list!

Field Trip Fun!

It was time again for a field trip for Avery's preschool, this time it was to the Children's Museum in Mankato. Which meant another bus ride!!!!  

Field Trip = Bus Ride!!!

I was again able to tag along and play too! Avery has been to the Museum once before but this was my first time. It is a very nice thing to have in town, two floors of fun filled educational activities. Avery loved playing in the "tree house" and crawling in the tunnels, making music, playing in the sand and water and.... well he loved it all!

Making Music!

Pound! Pound!

Checking out the pet snake!

Sand!

 

Water!

Of course no one wanted to go back to school, but thankfully the draw of ridding a school bus was stronger then wanting to stay and play.

Back on the bus!

 It was a fun morning filled with lots of laughing happy kids. Not a bad way to start the week!

Hoilday Program

Avery had his first Holiday program!  

Ready to sing!

It was a cute little show, filled with  three preschool classes, kids ages 2.5- 5, all singing together! 

Nope, not going to sing.

Or smile for a picture.

 Well let me correct that, most of the girls sang, the little boys mostly just stood there staring at everyone, crewing on their fingers,  so there wasn't too much in the way of singing from them. But that is okay.. and he has two more years to try! After his first public performance Avery gladly took pictures and gave hugs and kisses to his fans!

Holiday Program 2013

Papa & Grammy & Avery

GG & Avery & Daddy

Side note: Since the performance Avery has been singing all the songs non stop. Silly boy!

2 years, 11 months

In one more month Avery will be 3!!!! Three!!! The things he knows now blows my mind!  I cannot sum up how much we love him and how lucky were are! Sure he is turning 3 soon and pushes his mommy and daddy's limits sometimes especially when he doesn't get his way, but that is how (almost) 3 year olds roll,  from what I am told. 

Don't all 2 year and 11 month olds drive skid steers?

Avery's favorite things right now are: trucks, machinery, anything with a trailer, the color blue, books, giraffes, and beach balls! He loves to be out side playing, shoveling, riding, skiing, he just loves to be outside! He loves to eat apples, and pickles, yogert, pizza and M&Ms.
He wears 3T Pants, 3T-4T shirts, size T9 boots/shoes.

And has broke a zipper on 1 winter coat and pair of snow pants already this winter!

Cookie Class

What's Christmas without Christmas Cookies!!! 

And this year GG put on a little Cookie Class with her favorite elves! 

2013 Cookie Frosting 101

GG made the and cookies and Avery and his cousins were the guest decorators! 

Frosting!

What a fun and tasty holiday tradition! 

Cookie Masterpieces!

Happy Birthday Uncle Lee!

Happy Birthday to Avery's favorite Colorado Uncle!

Uncle Lee's Birthday Song from Avery:

Happy Birthday!

Shoveler for hire!

Well if you are in need of someone to come shovel for you, Avery is more then willing! But he might shovel the snow back on to the driveway or sidewalk or where ever he removed from just so that he can shovel it again.

Shoveling off his shoveling skills

Accepts payment in beach balls, Blue M&Ms and soft things. Results will vary.

The Start of Ski Season - Skiing "Solo"

2013/2014 Ski Season

Today marked the start of Avery's second ski season! As parents we want Avery to enjoy a varity of sports and things but of course we want him to love the things we do and thankfully so far Avery loves skiing!

Ready to Ski!

When he started last year at 1, we did most of the work, ok, almost all of the work. But today after a few runs with daddy or  mommy holding on to the back of his harness we decided he was ready and got out the reigns.

Skiing with daddy

Here we go.

We weren't really sure how it would go but, he did AMAZING!!!!!! I have honestly never taught anyone to ski before, I know that sounds strange since I have been skiing most of my life and coaching for 14 years but I refine and define skills that are already there, I have never taught the skills to anyone, and not a 2 year old. But becuase he is half me and half is daddy he is naturally athletic i think and much to my delight skiing make sense to him!

First "Solo" Run!!!

I really cant be sure but it seemed like he got the concept and was pressuring his edges to turn by his second "solo" run.

Being Silly on the back hills

Avery, " Don't jump off Mama."

To celebrate all his hard work Avery wanted "blue juice" and an M&M cookie bigger then his head. 

Snack time!

We are just so proud of him!

Proud Mama!!! (and Daddy, someone had to take the picture)

Putting up the Tree!

O' Christmas Tree

Most years i wait until the last minute to put a tree up, and then leave it up until at least my birthday, but this year we got it done early! Not only did our tree get up the earliest it has ever been up but we got it set up in record time, thanks to my helper.

Sorting branches

As an added bonus Avery also go to work on letters and colors while we sorted the branches!

After the branches were sorted, it was extremely helpful to have a delivery boy to bring me the next level! He only took one little break to listen to his "The Night before Christmas" book from GG & Papa T.

Story time

Just like that the tree was up, and ready for lights, this year we have extra lights on the tree at Avery's request, white and multi colored M&M lights (that i have had since i was kid). And of course after the lights come the ornaments, Avery was nice enough to let me hang the special and breakable ones (on the top of the tree), while he was in charge of all the others. He did great job our tree is beautiful, epically the two branches that got most of the ornaments!

This one goes here.

After Avery spread them out. lol

The stockings are hung and the tree is up a few more decorations inside and out and we will be holiday ready!

Avery & the Tree 2013

Hand Turkey with Feathers

Coloring Turkey Feathers

To wish GG & Papa T Happy Thanksgiving Avery colored them a beautiful hand turkey with beautiful feathers! Thankfully someone invented washable markers because Avery really gets into coloring sometimes. You cant see it in this picture but he has a blue and orange marker all over his face and hands.  Oh well, he didn't do it on purpose, and he washes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2013

 As always I am very thankful for all the things and people in my life. And today we got the chance to spend the day with so many of them (and those who weren't with us physically, were definitely with us in our hearts and minds!) 
I know Thanksgiving is about more then food, but nothing brings people together like food does! And we had a great family get together and of course great food, that Gobbled right up!

Yummy!

Pumpkin Pie!

Gobble Gobble! Happy Thanksgiving!

Wake me when it time for left overs!

And of course after a big day turkey meal and big turkey day nap is required! 

Deck the Halls....actually the Deck

I think one of Avery's favorite things of the Holiday season is all the pretty lights and decorations. He loves them so much he have been actually been plugging in the blow up Santa and Snowman in the living room almost every night for like a month now!!! But now it is finally time for them to head outside for the season and of course Avery couldn't be happier to help his Papa get them set up!!!

So excited to Deck the Deck!

Avery is an excellent helper! 

Papa's helper

And is very proud of his work!

Avery and Santa!

Avery and the Snowman

Of course in my family's typical style everything has to be semi complicated, so that means Santa and the Snowman are not on timers like the other lights, oh no, they are on a remote. Which Avery loves, and is actually very helpful because every night Avery can put Santa and the Snowman to bed, and when they go to bed, so does Avery!

Putting his friends to bed!

Bring on the snow Mother Nature our lights and decorations are up!